EP0047855A2 - Verfahren zum Prüfen eines xerographischen Kopiergerätes - Google Patents

Verfahren zum Prüfen eines xerographischen Kopiergerätes Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0047855A2
EP0047855A2 EP81106124A EP81106124A EP0047855A2 EP 0047855 A2 EP0047855 A2 EP 0047855A2 EP 81106124 A EP81106124 A EP 81106124A EP 81106124 A EP81106124 A EP 81106124A EP 0047855 A2 EP0047855 A2 EP 0047855A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
corona
copier
charge
further characterised
copy
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP81106124A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0047855A3 (en
EP0047855B1 (de
Inventor
Douglas Jarvis Conly
David Duane Larson
Stanley Thomas Riddle
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
International Business Machines Corp
Original Assignee
International Business Machines Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by International Business Machines Corp filed Critical International Business Machines Corp
Publication of EP0047855A2 publication Critical patent/EP0047855A2/de
Publication of EP0047855A3 publication Critical patent/EP0047855A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0047855B1 publication Critical patent/EP0047855B1/de
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/55—Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method of testing a xerographic copier.
  • the subsystems of copiers such as the photoconductor, coronas, fusers, erase lamps, and so on, gradually become less efficient. As a result, the copy quality deteriorates until a catastrophic failure occurs or unacceptable copies are produced. It is more desirable to be able to check periodically the conditions of the subsystems so that preventive measures can be taken to prevent the extra costs associated with catastrophic failures as well as the loss of customer good will caused by the deterioration of copy quality.
  • microprocessor-based controllers permits the control sequences of such machines to be altered inexpensively and functions to be added that if added to hardwired controllers would be too complex and expensive to be economically feasible.
  • maintenance personnel can quickly and simply determine the condition of the electrophotostatic subsystems of a machine and make necessary adjustments or replace parts as needed to keep the machine functioning at a high level of efficiency.
  • Present copy quality testing methods include predominantly the use of an original document having special patterns, similar to those of a television test pattern.
  • the patterns are copied and the bandwidth of the system is estimated by the amount of resolution in converging fine line patterns and the accuracy of reproduction of varying grey scales.
  • a method of testing a xerographic copier characterised by the step of running the copier through a copy producing cycle and, in successive periods of the cycle, setting different ones of copy stations which act directly on the imaging element of the copier into abnormal operating conditions to provide a copy sheet carrying a fused toner test pattern.
  • a copier of the type described in U.S. Patent Specification No. 4,163,897 is used for illustrative purposes.
  • the subsystems pertinent to the invention to be described are shown in FIGURE 8.
  • a transfer corona 61 is used to negatively charge a paper on which the copy is to be made so that toner will be attracted from the photoconductor to the paper.
  • a preclean corona 62 changes the photoconductor with a positive charge to balance the transfer charge. This charges untransferred toner in a positive direction so that it can be removed by a cleaner 65.
  • a charge corona 63 including a grid, charges the photoconductor on the drum in a uniform manner which, without any discharging by the optical system, would produce a black copy.
  • the optics normally discharge the area of the photoconductor corresponding to the grey and white parts of the material to be copied.
  • the charge imparted by the corona 63 is greater than that required for a desired black level.
  • a backcharge corona 64 also including a grid, reduces the charge level on the photoconductor to the desired black level and imparts a positive charge to residual toner so that the latter will be removed by a developer 66.
  • the grids in the above-described coronas are used to insure that the black charge will be uniform and at the desired level.
  • Erase lamps 67 are used to discharge the boundaries of the image on the photoconductor so that resulting copies do not have black edges or margins.
  • the edge erase lamps shown in FIGURE 7 are arranged in a lamp block 83 so that the light emitted by each lamp on to the photoconductor surface 82 on the drum 81 overlaps the light from the adjacent diodes. By controlling each lamp individually, the edge erasure width can be controlled.
  • Each lamp is turned on by setting a corresponding bit in an output register 86 from a controller 60. The lamps are turned off by resetting the corresponding bits. The lamps are coupled to the output register 86 by a cable 87.
  • a sensor 84 applies EC signals to the controller 60 as described below in more detail.
  • controller 60 which receives input signals from sensors including EC (emitter control) signals for detecting the position of the drum, temperature control signals indicating the temperature of the fuser, and so on.
  • sensors including EC (emitter control) signals for detecting the position of the drum, temperature control signals indicating the temperature of the fuser, and so on.
  • the arrangement to be described includes the operation of the various subsystems under controlled conditions so that the effect of an individual subsystem can be determined independently from the effects of the other subsystems.
  • the tests to isolate the effects of each of the subsystems are performed by the controller in the following manner.
  • a copy is made with an incandescent exposure lamp turned on and then turned off to produce, if the exposure lamp is operating correctly, a white area that gradates into grey and finally black.
  • the edge erase lamps are turned on and off in a given sequence to produce a stairstep design that will have certain characteristics if the lamps are working correctly.
  • the copy sheet will be approximately as shown in FIGURE 1 if the subsystems tested are operating correctly.
  • Another test is to use normal corona sequencing with an interimage erase lamp kept on to produce an all white copy. Residual black spots will indicate cleaning problems.
  • Another test is to erase only the leading edge which will produce a black copy. Any white spots will point up photoconductor defects.
  • Control of the various subsystems shown in FIGURE 8 is through an output register 69 in which bits are set by the controller 60 to turn on a device or reset to turn off a device.
  • the controller 60, and possibly the output register 69, are included in a programmable microprocessor in the preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • An attached program listing shows suitable programs that can be executed on the processor described and shown in U.S. Patent Specification No. 4,170,414, incorporated herein by reference.
  • Appendix A summarizes the instruction set of the microprocessor The flowcharts are shown in a format called TYPICAL which is explained in Appendix B. The detailed explanations of the programs will now be covered.
  • Copy quality tables are used by a CZCOUNT subroutine to produce the test copies.
  • the first test copy is produced by turning off the expose lamp so that the copy fades from white, through grey shades, to black.
  • the edge erase lamps are sequenced on and off to produce a characteristic pattern and then all are turned on.
  • FIGURE 1 shows the general appearance of the first test copy. The events occur in this particular embodiment as follows (measurements are from the leading edge of the copy sheet):
  • the third test copy sheet in FIGURE 3, is produced similarly to the second but with different variations of the parameters.
  • the first stripe should be grey with streaks that are straight and symmetrical about the centre of the sheet.
  • the second stripe should be grey and the streaks straight and symmetrical about the centre.
  • the third and fourth stripes should be grey and uniform.
  • the third copy test sheet is produced as follows:
  • FIGURES 4 and 5 show further test sheets 4 and 5, which should both be grey and uniform, test sheet 4 being produced with the expose lamp off and no leading edge erase and test sheet 5, with the expose lamp off and normal leading edge erase.
  • a test sheet 6 (FIGURE 6) is made in two sections -- the first with the expose lamp and developer bias at low voltage and the second with the erase lamps and developer bias at low voltage. The result should be grey and uniform sections.
  • a defect 26 (FIGURES 4 and 5) appearing on sheets 4, 5 and 6 at the same spot indicate a bad spot on the photoconductor surface.
  • a defect 36 (FIGURES 4 and 5) appearing on all sheets but at differing locations, indicate a bad spot on the fuser roller, for example.
  • test sheet 1 On test sheet 1, the white-to-grey transition should be the same distance from the edge of the copy across the width of the sheet. Deviations are indicative of illumination problems, such as dirty mirrors. If any erase lamps are not working, they will leave a black stripe.
  • the bands should be white/black/black/less black. If not, the preclean, transfer, charge, or backcharge corona (in the given order) is not working.
  • test sheet 3 On test sheet 3, all four bands should be grey with no density variation across the sheet. Variations point to dirty or mis- adjusted coronas in the same sequence as in test sheet 2.
  • test sheet 4 On test sheet 4, if the entry guide is not properly adjusted, the leading edge on will have white regions.
  • a CZCOUNT subroutine uses the tables, CQTAB's, to transfer to the proper test program module at the proper drum angle. Because the emitter signals from the drum are not supplied at the exact angles required for each of the tests, the CZCOUNT subroutine uses a pseudo-emitter routine which is synchronized with the drum but provides angle information in small increments.
  • the tables are organized so that the first two bytes of a table supply the address of the beginning of the next table.
  • the third byte is the hexadecimal value of the angle at which a test routine is to be executed and the fourth and fifth bytes supply the address of the test routine.
  • the third, fourth and fifth bytes are repeated for each entry.
  • the end of the table is indicated by a byte of all ones, hexadecimal FF (usually written X"FF", where the X indicates the following literals are in hexadecimal format).
  • the first table is located beginning at memory address F4E6.
  • the first byte, F4EF is the address of the next table.
  • the hexadecimal angle value 60 indicates that the routine at FOB9, the next byte's contents, is to be executed when the drum is at an angle of 96-degrees. The transfer of control to these tables and to the routines is shown in the CZCOUNT subroutine of Chart I.
  • Chart I shows the CZCOUNT subroutine, CE ZERO-CROSS COUNTER. This subroutine maintains a computed drum angle count for maintenance and test modes and executes special function routines at the proper revolution or drum angle as programmed. Many tests require events to occur at points not available from the standard drum emitter. The pseudo-emitter, with execution tables for each drum revolution, enables these special events where required.
  • the pseudo-emitter routine in the CZCOUNT subroutine operates as follows. During each drum revolution, a count of powerline zero-crossovers is maintained. At the start of a drum revolution, defined herein as the leading image 81-degrees below the optical centerline, the previous count is saved and a new count is started. Approximately every 90 degrees, the drum angle estimate is corrected by an emitter routine, CZCORR (not shown in detail).
  • the execution tables are constructed assuming a particular design frequency (ZDESFREQ).
  • ZDESFREQ design frequency
  • the current zero-cross count is multiplied by the ratio ZDESFREQ/(Previous Frequency) to estimate the current drum angle.
  • the current drum angle can be estimated by and the current design counts by which can be written as
  • the remainder is set to the design frequency (ZDESFREQ).
  • the numerator is subtracted from the remainder. Any time that the result is less than zero, the drum angle count is incremented by one.
  • the table decode is performed at every estimate update -- once each pass through the code zero-cross loop -- when the current drum angle estimate is compared to the zero-cross loop -- when the current drum angle estimate is compared to the present table entry. If the estimate is greater than or equal to the table entry, the corresponding routine is executed.
  • the drum angle estimate is frozen whenever it reaches the design count until a counter restart is requested. At that time, the estimate is increased to design frequency plus one which will cause all unexecuted table entries to be executed, the frequency to be saved, the counter to be restarted, and a new execution table to be pointed to.
  • a separate table is required for each drum revolution except when table looping is used, such as when other diagnostics are using the drum angle estimator.
  • CEANGSET The set-up subroutine for the pseudo-emitter is CEANGSET, which is called by the routine setting up the CE run mode which will use the pseudo-emitter.
  • CEANGSET is shown in Chart II.
  • the design frequency is chosen to be 120 zero-crossings per revolution, then the smallest table increment (one estimate count) corresponds to three degrees of drum revolution and the formula for a table entry is (desired drum angle - 81 degrees).
  • step 23 fetches the address of the test module to be executed depending on the angle of drum rotation.
  • step 26 the program branches to the test module and returns to step 27 after the completion of the test.
  • the details for performing this transfer are shown in the attached program listing beginning at the address D47D, the addresses being given in hexadecimal modulus.
  • Table I is a summary of the test tables used to transfer to the correct test as determined by the number of degrees of drum rotation.
  • the test routine starting address is given and the test functions are summarized in Table II. These tests are self-explanatory by referencing the attached program listing.
  • the first module of Table II is CECHGOFF, which turns off the charge corona.
  • CECHGOFF which turns off the charge corona.
  • a bit denoted CHGCOR in a byte denoted ACCARD2M is reset by the TR instruction. (See Appendix A.)
  • This bit when reset in the output register, turns off the power to the charge corona as shown in FIGURE 6.
  • the module CECHGON starting at address EFEF, turns the charge corona on by setting the same bit discussed above. In the output register 69 of FIGURE 6, this bit, when set, causes the charge corona to be turned on.
  • the control of devices using bits is well known in the art and need not be explained in detail for an understanding of the invention.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Control Or Security For Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Debugging And Monitoring (AREA)
EP81106124A 1980-09-11 1981-08-05 Verfahren zum Prüfen eines xerographischen Kopiergerätes Expired EP0047855B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/186,093 US4335952A (en) 1980-09-11 1980-09-11 Copy quality diagnostic procedure
US186093 1980-09-11

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0047855A2 true EP0047855A2 (de) 1982-03-24
EP0047855A3 EP0047855A3 (en) 1982-12-01
EP0047855B1 EP0047855B1 (de) 1985-01-23

Family

ID=22683636

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP81106124A Expired EP0047855B1 (de) 1980-09-11 1981-08-05 Verfahren zum Prüfen eines xerographischen Kopiergerätes

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US4335952A (de)
EP (1) EP0047855B1 (de)
JP (1) JPS6048749B2 (de)
CA (1) CA1155477A (de)
DE (1) DE3168485D1 (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0093242A1 (de) * 1982-05-04 1983-11-09 International Business Machines Corporation Automatisches Kontrollverfahren für eine elektrophotographische Kopiermaschine
GB2200325A (en) * 1986-12-05 1988-08-03 Ricoh Kk Method of controlling surface potential of photoconductive element

Families Citing this family (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS6078464A (ja) * 1983-10-05 1985-05-04 Konishiroku Photo Ind Co Ltd 転写紙給送特性検査方法
US4627721A (en) * 1985-11-20 1986-12-09 Xerox Corporation Automatic scanning optics alignment
US5510896A (en) * 1993-06-18 1996-04-23 Xerox Corporation Automatic copy quality correction and calibration
JPH0768842A (ja) * 1993-06-28 1995-03-14 Canon Inc 画像形成装置
US5619307A (en) * 1994-07-07 1997-04-08 Cannon Kabushiki Kaisha Method of printing test pattern and apparatus for outputting test pattern
JP2000221846A (ja) * 1999-02-03 2000-08-11 Fujitsu Ltd 印刷装置
US6661978B2 (en) * 2002-01-16 2003-12-09 Xerox Corporation Method and apparatus for automated job recovery
US6862414B2 (en) * 2002-01-30 2005-03-01 Xerox Corporation Automated banding defect analysis and repair for document processing systems
US20090080916A1 (en) * 2007-02-12 2009-03-26 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Xerographic copying apparatus and method of checking trouble point in the same and computer program
US10969723B2 (en) * 2018-04-06 2021-04-06 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Method for detecting fault location of image forming apparatus

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4162396A (en) * 1977-10-27 1979-07-24 International Business Machines Corporation Testing copy production machines
US4163897A (en) * 1977-10-19 1979-08-07 International Business Machines Corporation Automatic copy recovery
US4170414A (en) * 1976-12-20 1979-10-09 International Business Machines Corporation Document feed controls for copy production machines

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3936180A (en) * 1973-01-04 1976-02-03 Xerox Corporation Xerographic apparatus with sample print capabilities
US4181429A (en) * 1977-08-30 1980-01-01 Xerox Corporation Sample copy system for xerographic reproduction machine

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4170414A (en) * 1976-12-20 1979-10-09 International Business Machines Corporation Document feed controls for copy production machines
US4163897A (en) * 1977-10-19 1979-08-07 International Business Machines Corporation Automatic copy recovery
US4162396A (en) * 1977-10-27 1979-07-24 International Business Machines Corporation Testing copy production machines

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
IBM TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE BULLETIN, vol. 22, no. 8B, January 1980, B.A. NILSSON: "Copier Adjustment" pages 3606 to 3608 *

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0093242A1 (de) * 1982-05-04 1983-11-09 International Business Machines Corporation Automatisches Kontrollverfahren für eine elektrophotographische Kopiermaschine
GB2200325A (en) * 1986-12-05 1988-08-03 Ricoh Kk Method of controlling surface potential of photoconductive element
GB2200325B (en) * 1986-12-05 1990-09-19 Ricoh Kk Method of controlling surface potential of photoconductive element

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS57111549A (en) 1982-07-12
DE3168485D1 (en) 1985-03-07
US4335952A (en) 1982-06-22
EP0047855A3 (en) 1982-12-01
CA1155477A (en) 1983-10-18
EP0047855B1 (de) 1985-01-23
JPS6048749B2 (ja) 1985-10-29

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP0047855A2 (de) Verfahren zum Prüfen eines xerographischen Kopiergerätes
CA1172305A (en) Method and apparatus for copier quality monitoring and control
US5481337A (en) Method and apparatus for correcting image formation in accordance with a potential measurement and a density measurement selected along an axial direction of a photosensitive drum
CA1159877A (en) Charge density control
US5160967A (en) Image forming apparatus with layer thinning detection
JPS59121354A (ja) 複写機の動作を制御する方法
JPH02127662A (ja) 画像濃度制御方法
US5099279A (en) Image forming method and image forming apparatus in which the density of the toner image is measured and controlled
JPS63254476A (ja) 電子写真複写機
US4821068A (en) Image forming apparatus
US5049939A (en) Method of controlling image formation in image generating apparatus
US4539279A (en) Image density control method
JPH0462075B2 (de)
JPS588507B2 (ja) 湿式現像装置
US4922296A (en) Image reproducing apparatus controlled in response to detected density of an original image
EP0517905A1 (de) Kontrolle des elektrostatografischen farbprozesses mittels tonerentwicklungscharakteristik.
JPH0330142B2 (de)
JP3319881B2 (ja) 画像形成装置
JPS60184240A (ja) 画像形成装置
JPS59133564A (ja) 電子写真画像制御方法
JP2992299B2 (ja) 画像形成装置
JP2600224B2 (ja) 複写機
JP3188489B2 (ja) フラッシュランプ照明装置
JPH0611931A (ja) 画像形成装置
JPS63240574A (ja) 電子写真複写機

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): DE FR GB

PUAL Search report despatched

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009013

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): DE FR GB

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19821220

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): DE FR GB

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 3168485

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 19850307

ET Fr: translation filed
PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

26N No opposition filed
PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Payment date: 19910717

Year of fee payment: 11

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Payment date: 19910726

Year of fee payment: 11

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 19910828

Year of fee payment: 11

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Effective date: 19920805

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 19920805

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Effective date: 19930430

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Effective date: 19930501

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST